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Columbia Daily Tribune Oct. 14, 1914 BOONE COUNTY HISTORY Articles Written By E. Stephens From Interviews With Pioneers We have deemed it proper, as a matter of interest and by way of in- troduction, to confine this and the succeeding one of the sketches we propose on the above subject, to a brief review of the primitive set- tlement of Missouri, and especially the original emigration to the dis- trict once known as the "Boonslick country," of which Boone county formed a part. The first white men who ever en- tered the limits of Missouri were a party of French, who ascended the Missouri river in 1705 as far as the mouth of the Kansas river. They were an exploring party sent out in search of gold by the French gov- ernment. They landed at this point and were cordially received by the Indians who engaged freely in trade with them. Failing to discover pre- cious metal, after a short delay, they returned to their settlements near the mouth of the Mississippi. No other effort was made to enter the wilderness of Missouri until in 1720 Renault, an iron founder from France, sailed up the Mississippi with seven hundred artificers, miners and slaves, and discovered and opened diggings at the present lead mines of St. Francois and Potosi. He remain- ed there until 1742 and shipped im- mense quantities of lead to France. Traces of his diggings still remain in that vicinity. In 1719 a war broke out between France and Spain, which hostility was actively participated in by the subjects of these two nationalities in this country, and this latter oumity was stimulated by the jealous ri- valry existing as to the rights of trade with Indians. The most powerful Indian tribes resided in the Illinois and Missouri countries, and the bone of contention between the French and the Spanish was mainly the possession of their friendship. The Indians, however, were divided among themselves, the Missouris (the most powerful) favoring the French, and the Osages and several other tribes, the Spanish. In 1720 the Spaniards fitted out an expedition at Santa Fe, with the intention of destroying the nation of the Missouris, and thus acquiring the entire right of trade with the na- tions on the Missouri. Knowing their inability to accomplish their object unaided, they concluded to solicit the aid of their friends, the Osages, who were the most inveterate enemies of th Missouris. Having no guides, and being unacquainted with the country they wandered through the wilder- ness for some time, until they came upon the Missouris, whom they sup- posed to be Osages. They explained their mission to the chief of the tribe, who concealing his thoughts, evinced great delight and promised assistance. The Spaniards then dis- tributed a quantity of guns, knives, ammunition, etc., among the s ages. The night before the day a pointed for the beginning of the jo rey, the whole band was massacred, except a priest whose clerical r protected him. He afterwards caped to tell the tale. They the first white men whose blood ever shed on the soil of Missouri This bold attempt of the Spaniards to penetrate into the territory of French, aroused the latter to danger of their situation, and in they ascended the Missouri and an island, a few miles above mouth of the Oage, built a fort whi they called Fort D'Orleans. It was the first fort ever built in Missouri. The Missouri country was then in- habited by large tribes of Indians the most powerful of which were Missouris, who lived on the river, the Great and Litt Wennebagoes, Reynards, S Omahas, Pottawatmies, and Miamis. In 1722-3-4 these tribes were engage guinary warfare. The pying Fort D'Orleans, effect peace between tribes. They succeed 1724. A short time ever, the inmates of all massacred. Wh thors of this blo known.

Columbia Daily Tribune Oct. 14, 1914 BOONE COUNTY HISTORY Articles Written By E. Stephens From Interviews With Pioneers We have deemed it proper, as a matter of interest and by way of in- troduction, to confine this and the succeeding one of the sketches we propose on the above subject, to a brief review of the primitive set- tlement of Missouri, and especially the original emigration to the dis- trict once known as the "Boonslick country," of which Boone county formed a part. The first white men who ever en- tered the limits of Missouri were a party of French, who ascended the Missouri river in 1705 as far as the mouth of the Kansas river. They were an exploring party sent out in search of gold by the French gov- ernment. They landed at this point and were cordially received by the Indians who engaged freely in trade with them. Failing to discover pre- cious metal, after a short delay, they returned to their settlements near the mouth of the Mississippi. No other effort was made to enter the wilderness of Missouri until in 1720 Renault, an iron founder from France, sailed up the Mississippi with seven hundred artificers, miners and slaves, and discovered and opened diggings at the present lead mines of St. Francois and Potosi. He remain- ed there until 1742 and shipped im- mense quantities of lead to France. Traces of his diggings still remain in that vicinity. In 1719 a war broke out between France and Spain, which hostility was actively participated in by the subjects of these two nationalities in this country, and this latter oumity was stimulated by the jealous ri- valry existing as to the rights of trade with Indians. The most powerful Indian tribes resided in the Illinois and Missouri countries, and the bone of contention between the French and the Spanish was mainly the possession of their friendship. The Indians, however, were divided among themselves, the Missouris (the most powerful) favoring the French, and the Osages and several other tribes, the Spanish. In 1720 the Spaniards fitted out an expedition at Santa Fe, with the intention of destroying the nation of the Missouris, and thus acquiring the entire right of trade with the na- tions on the Missouri. Knowing their inability to accomplish their object unaided, they concluded to solicit the aid of their friends, the Osages, who were the most inveterate enemies of th Missouris. Having no guides, and being unacquainted with the country they wandered through the wilder- ness for some time, until they came upon the Missouris, whom they sup- posed to be Osages. They explained their mission to the chief of the tribe, who concealing his thoughts, evinced great delight and promised assistance. The Spaniards then dis- tributed a quantity of guns, knives, ammunition, etc., among the s ages. The night before the day a pointed for the beginning of the jo rey, the whole band was massacred, except a priest whose clerical r protected him. He afterwards caped to tell the tale. They the first white men whose blood ever shed on the soil of Missouri This bold attempt of the Spaniards to penetrate into the territory of French, aroused the latter to danger of their situation, and in they ascended the Missouri and an island, a few miles above mouth of the Oage, built a fort whi they called Fort D'Orleans. It was the first fort ever built in Missouri. The Missouri country was then in- habited by large tribes of Indians the most powerful of which were Missouris, who lived on the river, the Great and Litt Wennebagoes, Reynards, S Omahas, Pottawatmies, and Miamis. In 1722-3-4 these tribes were engage guinary warfare. The pying Fort D'Orleans, effect peace between tribes. They succeed 1724. A short time ever, the inmates of all massacred. Wh thors of this blo known.